Saving A Life
by BlueSky.x
Summary: AU. Axel's one of the best firefighters in the station but there’s a motive behind it that even he cant comprehend and Demyx, the newbie, is determined to uncover Axel’s sad past just as quickly as it starts to catch up to the present. A/R, Z/D, R/S
1. Chapter 1 Axel

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or locations featured in this story, nor do I make any money out of them, if I did then my manga collection would be so much bigger then it is  
Warning: future slash, some language, and a cute image of mini Axel  
Summary: "I didn't take this job because every minute, every second reminds me off him. Every time I fight that cursed element that excites me, intrigues me, the element that took him away from me." Axel is a fire fighter and one of the best but there's a motive behind it that even Axel cant comprehend, and Demyx, the newbie who Axel took under his wing, is set to uncover Axel's sad past, just as quickly as it starts it become the present. Akuroku, Zemyx, R/S.  
A/N: I was unhappy with the first chapter that I wrote, so I restarted the story, and I hope you'll agree that the second try turned out much better. Please, please review. And thank you to those who did review the previous first chapter: Jextia, Pink Ribbon Skye and Twilight's Daughter. Thank you again.  
Started: morning of 23/03/08. Finished: night of 24/03/08

* * *

Saving a Life  
Chapter 1

"When I grow up I want to be a fireman"

My earliest memory of first grade. I was sitting on the thick green carpet of the story corner, a toothy grin stretched across my face. My mess of red hair brushing against the top of my nose, I remember that it always got stuck in my eyes.

"A fireman! Whys that Axel?"

My teacher, her name was Miss Lockheart. I remember her because she always smiled at me, even when I got my times tables wrong. She was doing that then, the kind of smile that made her eyes crinkle at the edges and look like she was older than she was.

"I want to be strong and save people," I had said, pulling fluff off the carpet and rolling it between my fingers, it sounded silly saying it out loud "and … and they have cool trucks."

Miss had leaned over in her seat in front of me and reached out to ruffle my hair,

"I'm sure you will be a great fireman Axel" she said kindly. I think she saw my eyes light up with glee because she had smiled at me again before turning to the girl on my left.

"Yes Selphie, and what do you want to be when you grow up?"

I hadn't had time to cover my ears before the bouncing girl had screeched,

"A superstar! I want to be a superstar!"

I thought girls were too loud. I wished they would leave me to play in the sand-pit alone, they had always screamed when I got it in their hair.

Miss Lockheart had giggled at Selphie, asking her to please sit back down as she continued asking the same question the rest of the class, who sat cross-legged at her feet.

***

And today, as I lock the door to my apartment, I remember this memory. A memory that didn't shape what I became, that played no part in how I lived my life. I memory I had forgotten because those dreams had been left behind with the red building blocks and kind teachers. I lived a completely different life from the naïve ideals I had as a child and so, with some trepidation, I reckon that maybe it was fate.

Fate that neither Riku Ishikawa, who works at the local Kissaten to pay for rent while he studies, or even Sora Yoshida, whom I barley see anymore, had become the policemen that they had mumbled as an answer to Miss Lockheart.

Selphie Suzuki had not gone on to be the famous singer of her dreams but now worked in an office, photocopying. There were no actors, no pilots, no airhostesses, and not even any bin men in the pack of grown up school children.

But there was me, Axel Yamamoto who got my childhood dream, although, later in life, I had never intended on it. Why did I, of all people, achieve the fantasy that I had nurtured as a child? It was so ironic that I was the one to complete this destiny. Maybe Tifa Lockheart, in all her kind words, had set going an inescapable fate for her young student by promising him this responsibility.

Perhaps, but I can never be sure, because that is what I want to believe, because I am not a masochist. I did not choose the job I have to punish myself, as I know Riku suspects. I did not choose this job because everyday, every hour reminds me of _him_, of what happened on _that_ day. It was just fate that brought me to a job that fights the element that intrigues me, that excites me, that took away everything that was precious to me. That took away _him_.

Then again, Riku was always too observant for his own good.

* * *

I stood on the front steps of the flats that housed my apartment, hands in the pockets of my skinny fit jeans, looking out down the pot-holed road. It was exactly a mile to the Kissaten and from there it was a little longer to reach the fire station. Five hundred and thirty one steps down the cracked pavement, past the blocks of flats, the planted trees and the little children on their way to school.

I looked upwards at the cloudless sky. The deep blue stared back at me, its warmth, and the endlessness of it penetrated deep into my soul. So familiar, yet so alien. I shook my head, dislodging the memories that began to form with that colour, and started down the path lined with new, dew covered dandelions.

Spring had come out, and its warmth was beginning to wash away the cold of winter.

***

The bell rang as I entered the Kissaten. The warm air rushed forward to greet me, brushing its fingers through my hair. I breathed in the sweet smell of coffee and glanced around, it was nearly empty; a small man sat in the corner with his brief case, nursing a china mug and a newspaper. I looked towards the counter and smiled at the figure bent over, concentrating on the cash register in front of him. I wandered over and stood opposite him, arms crossed across my chest, leaning a hip against the desk.

Five minutes passed and the silver haired male, tapping away at the screen, seemed oblivious to his customer. Bastard, he knew I was here.

"I want to speak to the manager!" I exclaimed suddenly, slightly loudly than was necessary in an empty shop, "The service here is despicable! I have been standing here for over ten minutes and you have utterly ignored me. You, son, are a lackey and…"

The man in the corner looked up from his newspaper in interest at my high-pitched outburst; obviously he had never been here before.

"I would never allow such a …"

Riku raised a hand and gave me the middle finger, then, without looking up from the register, his hand vanished behind the counter and reappeared holding a steaming cappuccino. How he manages to keep it so hot I'll never know. He shoved it towards my outstretched fingers and then returned to what he had been doing. I grinned; mission accomplished, and sauntered over to the seats in the corner. The man raised an eyebrow in my direction before shaking his head and going back to his newspaper.

Riku slid in opposite me a few minutes later, his face set in a frown.

"What's up pretty boy?" I asked between sips of my hot drink. Riku had been mistaken for a woman before and I, ever the good friend, was entitled remind him of it when ever I could. That guy never called Riku a woman ever again. In fact I don't think he would have been able to speak over his cracked jaw even if he wanted to.

"Mansex came in with a hangover this morning, shouting something that sounded like I need to prove my loyalty to the just cause of gaining more coffee customers and so he was giving me a 'mission' to look after the shop today," Riku sighed and sipped at his coffee, "before falling over the carpet into his office."

I raised my eyebrows, smirking. Riku had one hell of a manager, he was normally either very drunk or running a dictatorship, besides his name was an anagram of mansex, so wha'ya gonna do.

"So why are you here so early, other than to vouch free coffee off me?"

"Why would I abuse your friendship like that?" I said in mock offence "Maybe I just wanted to see my best friend?"

Riku just snorted.

I sighed, defeated "Fine then, believe what you want. Anyway Zack called the whole fire fighting squad into the station to meet the newbie."

"On your day off as well, slightly pissed off are we Axel?" I shrugged; he didn't know the half of it. "Any idea who he'll get to mentor the poor guy?"

"Probably me, he did the same with the last one, Zexion Inoue, and he turned out decent enough."

Riku smiled, he knew that I was more proud of the runt than I showed. My silver haired friend had always been able to read me better than anyone else. He was able to see through the cold exterior I tended to put up around my feelings. Then again, I thought gloomily, he did know me before _it_ happened.

Riku must have seen the shadowy path my mind was taking because he had opened his mouth to interrupt my train of thought when the door to the Kissaten opened and two girls walked in.

Shooting an apologetic look at me, Riku slid out of the booth and walked behind the counter.

"Hi I'm Riku I'll be serving you today, how can I help you?" The statement was so thickly laced with sarcasm that the girl who had walked up to order didn't even notice it but did a double take before deciding that Riku was, indeed, hot.

"I … well no erm … I mean we … would like …"

I smirked as the red head stuttered and Riku blew the bangs out of his face. Did he know he was flirting with her? Said pretty boy sweetly smiled at the blushing girl. Yep, I decided, he definitely knows it.

Then all wasn't going as well as I thought between the perfect model couple Riku and Sora Yoshida. I frowned, why hadn't Riku told me? I didn't like to play cupid for my friends but if …

"Hey there! Do you mind if me and my friend sit with you?"

I started at the interruption and glanced to the side. The second girl that had come in was staring at me with her hands on her hips, bent over slightly so that she was head height. I swear she had just popped up from nowhere.

"I'm Yuffie by the way" she held out her hand and I hesitantly shook it, "so what'd ya say?" I looked around at the dozens of empty seat booths,

"But there are loads of …"

"Great! Thanks!" she slid in next to me "Hurry up with those coffees's Kairi!" Riku and the red head, Kairi, looked over, Riku raised an eyebrow, and I shrugged in response. "So who are you?"

"Axel" I figured if I answered in the least possible words then she would work out that I wasn't interested.

"Nice name, Axel, like the car part!"

"I guess," like I hadn't heard that one before.

Thankfully Riku and Kairi arrived with coffees and a plate of cookies. I pleaded with my eyes to my best friend. The kicked puppy look – very effective I'd like to think. But Riku obviously had no heart; he just winked at me and offered the seat by the window to Kairi. Man slag.

Yuffie spoke up, "So are both of you single?" I silently cursed whoever gave the girl multitudes of confidence.

"No", "Yes"

I glared, Riku chuckled. "Of course you're single Axel"

"No I'm not," I fixed him with a stare. I didn't want to go down this path, but he knew that.

"Unless you have any significant others that I don't know about then I think you are," he smiled at Yuffie. The brunette returned the gesture, but it didn't reach her eyes. The tension that must have begun to role off me was palpable, even to her.

"Don't push it."

Riku's eyes turned on me, his face suddenly serious, "Why not Axel? What are you trying to hold on to?"

"I…he…" I didn't answer. The fact that I couldn't pulled sharply somewhere to the left of my chest.

"Stop living in the past Axel," his voice was slightly softer, pity, "You need to move on."

"No" I shook my head, hesitant at first and then with more conviction, "No."

Riku growled, the anger from pervious arguments of the same nature rising up from somewhere. My stubbornness on the subject had always frustrated him.

"Axel it's destroying you!"

"No Riku, I won't move on!" I stood, my fists clenched hard at my sides as I spat out my next words, "Because Roxas isn'tdead."

Kairi gasped, bringing a hand in front of her mouth, which whispered, almost inaudibly, _his_ name.

Silence reined over the Kissaten as two pairs of green eyes glared into one another, Riku was the first to look away. I remained standing, feeling that if I moved it would shatter my shaky resolve.

His eyes were sad when he glanced back at me a moment later. "I know Axel, I know."

I hadn't noticed when the man with the brief case had left.

"I need to go or I'll be late for work," I muttered. Yuffie got out of the booth so that I could leave; she smiled at me when our eyes met. I tried to smile back, although I don't think my attempt would have won me any Oscars.

As I opened the door I heard Yuffie turn to her friend,

"Kairi? Kai? Are you ok? You look … Roxas Yoshida? Wait isn't that the guy who…" The rest of her words were cut off as the door closed. I was thankful for that; I didn't need to hear it.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, I counted my steps as I walked on the pavement, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, how had it all gotten out of hand so fast? 14, 15, 16, 17 …

"Axel." I stopped, seventeen paces down the road, "I am sorry Axel, I just … I just wanted to try and help" I looked over my shoulder,

"I know Riku. I know"

He nodded, "You'll come back soon? Not tomorrow, I know, because you have your shift then, but soon? I'll tell you about what's happening with me and Sora, I'm sure you'll be able to help me work it out" he smiled "you always do."

"Of course. What are best friends for, if not to steal away free coffees?"

Riku laughed, "I'll see you soon then Axel, good luck with the newbie!"

I walked away grinning, "Like I'd need it!" I called back to him. My strained smile disappearing as I turned the corner.

* * *

I stood in front of the fire station before I went in, looking it over, committing to memory every brick, every small crack and cobweb, my hands tucked behind my head.

I loved my job. To be a fire fighter you had to want it with everything you had and although my motivation for taking up this job was undefined, I did my job because I enjoyed it. Every day was a new experience and I looked forward to each time I came to work, and I guess that not many people could say the same.

As I walked through the fire station's entrance doors, I felt more at home then I did in my apartment, screw Riku, I thought, I do this job for me, not … not for _him_.

Although I already knew where everyone would be I followed the sounds of voices, down the corridors lined with bright lights, to the meeting room where ten fire fighters were dotted about on the seats.

When you become a fire fighter, you become part of a family. A kind of dysfunctional family in its own right, but it still held the loyalties and the need to work as a team that bound the people in that station together.

While we were in essence a family, the crew was split into four three-man teams and each team could be clearly seen in the grouping of the seats. I was greeted by a series of nods from the other older, more experienced team members as I made my way towards the back of the room.

Zexion Inoue who was, for now, the only member of my squad, sat at the back, face blank and generally reminiscing about the world. I however, knowing Zexion better than the other fire fighters, could see how tensely he was holding himself; see the whiteness of his knuckles as he gripped the biceps of his folded arms. Zexion Inoue was nervous.

I raised an eyebrow and sat in the seat next to him. I knew that the new kid was Zexion's best friend, he having told me a few days before (sparse with the details this guy is) but it couldn't be too bad. I figured that anyone who was able to be friends with, or more likely allowed to be friends with, Zexion had to be as sensible and hard working as he was. Sure Zexion could talk a bit more but his silence suited me and the sombre mood that came over me when battling with fire. And the memories it brought.

I didn't have to wait long until my questions were answered, and I could see what Zexion had to be nervous about, when Zack Katō, our chief and superior walked into the room followed by the newbie.

The man who walked (or rather skipped) through the door didn't look like I thought he would. The black skinny jeans and the blue hoodie I had expected, since he was Zexion's best friend, but the Mohawk on his head? Or the brightness of his huge smile? The playfully character in his eyes? The way that he looked as if he would do a lot of spontaneous things that may shame his best friend who had recommended him to the station? How could someone this cheerfully vivid be best friends with someone so, so…

I looked over at Zexion, my eyebrows raised, a smile tugging at my lips. He met my gaze and shrugged at the silent question. Polar opposites those two, I shook my head smiling and turned back to the guy who now stood next to Zack at the front of the room.

"Hey" the blonde scratched the back of his head and grinned at the fire fighters staring at him "I'm Demyx Shimizu, pleased ta meet ya!"

* * *

**A/N:**

Kissaten - Japanese for coffee shop, because it sounds better.  
The surnames I used are all common surnames in Japan (that I looked up on Wikipedia): Riku Ishikawa, Sora/Roxas Yoshida, Selphie Suzuki, Axel Yamamoto, Zexion Inoue, Demyx Shimizu.

Please click that little grey box in the corner and leave something! Until next time folks!


	2. Chapter 2 Demyx

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or locations featured in this story, nor do I make any money out of them, if I did then I would bribe Masashi Kishimoto to make a slash English Naruto series, heh.  
Warning: future slash, some language.  
A/N: Sorry it's come so late but I've been attempting to revise for my final exams! /sweat drops/. Besides, little number of reviews means little motivation innit, but thanks to Pink Ribbon Skye for the review. **Important: POV switch to Demyx** in this chapter, because it's more fun that way and there are more things to write about. The main POV's will be Axel and Demyx because although they will not be paired together, they are the main characters. On with the story, and please review!  
Started: 24/03/08. Finished: 20/05/08.

* * *

Saving a Life  
Chapter 2

There was something about Axel Yamamoto that was off. Like in a murder scene of those crime programmes, that I so do not watch, where everyone is certain that it was suicide, until the detective asks where the murder weapon is, or how the door was locked or … Ok, a bad simile, but you know what I'm trying to get at, right? Something was suspicious; something that should be there and in Yamamoto's case it was something that wasn't.

On face value he looked like the kind of guy who would be known at the nightclubs dotted around town. His hair brought with it admiring glances because it would look ridiculous on anyone else, as did the tattoos on his checks, which gave him a rebellious look. The black skinny jeans and similarly coloured hoodie showed his lanky figure but also the well-toned muscles, which boasted that he was stronger than he seemed.

He appeared to be someone who knew how to have fun, that attracted everyone around him, and he held it in a certain way to prove to the world that he knew it.

But his eyes, their sharp green looked faded, looked unfocused, looked far away. His voice, when he had given his name, though it still held some kind of air that couldn't be defined as witty, sarcastic or snide but rather that covered all three, was almost cold. It had no soul to it, no meaning. Empty.

On the outside, Axel Yamamoto looked alive, but inside he was dead.

For me, Demyx Shimizu, it was easy to draw this conclusion when looking at Yamamoto. Chief Zack Katō continued to brief the rest of the crew as I scrutinised the red head across the room.

Most people would think it weird that I could learn so much from just looking at a person, but being best friends with Zexion Inoue brings its benefits, hell, he speaks more in body posture and expressions than he does verbally.

I glanced over to my right at said stone sculptor. Zexion obviously felt my gaze, or his mind reading skills were switched on, because he turned his head slightly to look at me. He frowned, eyes slitting somewhat and nodded towards the front of the room.

_Translation: Demyx stop looking at me and __**try**__ to pay attention to what the chief is saying, idiot. _

I grinned at him and tuned into what Zack Katō was talking about now.

"…Shimizu needs to be put into a team with a more experienced fighter who will show him the ropes of how things work around here"

I frowned, wondering who I would be put in a team with.

I thought the crew had seemed nice enough. After I had introduced myself the eleven other fire fighters had risen from their seats and proceeded to do the same to me, giving a list of names that there was no way in hell I could remember. Except for this Axel Yamamoto. There was something that drew me to him and when the introductions were over and we all sat down in a newly formed semi circle of seats, I couldn't help to examine the red head from across the room, while Zexion had sat next to me.

Chief Katō was talking again and I decided it would be a good idea to listen, seeing as it was my first day and all.

"Since Marluxia left an opening in the team and it's their shift tomorrow," he nodded to the red head across the semicircle and to Zexion next to me "Axel Yamamoto and Zexion Inoue will take on Demyx Shimizu to train."

Inner Demyx did a victory dance as the chief turned to me.

"Shimizu, for now you will be subordinate to Yamamoto, he is your chief, your superior in Team Red," I smirked inwardly, how ironic a colour, "and you will listen to him just as Inoue does. Respect for your peers in this station, whether they are inferior or superior to you, is extremely important. You must listen to what Yamamoto says because you are new here and he has more experience than you but it does not mean you are not equals. Fire fighting is all about team work, and I hope that you will keep to that."

I grinned at Zexion, who nodded at me before I chanced a look at Axel Yamamoto.

After Katō had finished his speech, the rest of the crew had begun to chat among themselves and I figured that I could whisper to my friend without being heard.

"I don't think he likes me Zexion."

Zexion looked over at Axel, and saw the calculating glare the red head was throwing my way.

"No, he's sizing you up," he said in monotone "did the same to me on my first day. He's working out if you can make it in our team."

I couldn't help feel nervous, what if I wasn't as up to scratch for his liking?

"You'll be fine Demyx." Zexion so had mind powers, I'd bet my sitar on it. "He's a good guy, a good teacher, and a brilliant fire fighter - one of the best. Just please," he stressed the please a little too much for my liking, "listen and do what he says."

I grinned over at my best friend, "Heh, of course I will Zexy," and before I could suffer the wrath of Zexion for using his nickname, I made my way across the noisy room.

Axel raised an eyebrow at me when I stopped a few feet in front of him.

"Hi!" There was this awkward silence when Axel continued to stare at me. His gaze made me nervous and I rubbed the back of my neck. "… so I guess I'm in your team, ne?"

Axel stood up from the seat and I noticed with some jealously that he was at least a head taller then me. Looking behind me at someone, who I could guess was Zexion from the holes being burned into my back, he nodded at them before turning back to me. The redhead offered his hand which I took quickly and shook,

"Welcome to the station Shimizu," he drawled "and welcome to Team Red."

* * *

The rest of the day went by pretty slowly. All the boring aspects of the job had to be covered, like the signing of papers and going through a hell of a lot of files, I was so not the guy for that job, but I guess it has to be done sometime. After that Axel had to take me around the station, showing me the various rooms like where we would sleep when on our shifts and other stuff, but I didn't really pay much attention. I already knew most of it, and figured that if I got stuck I could just copy Zexion, right? Because what else are best friends in the work place for?

Axel went over the times of the shifts with me that would dictate how my weeks went. Each team had two shifts in a week and each shift lasted 24 hours, during their shift the team would live in the station and be on stand by for any emergency call they got. Sometimes the number of shifts varied in different stations or if one of the teams were incapable of completing a shift another team would be given the job, so the number of days weren't always fixed. It was all basic stuff really, and because of the little amount of time the job took up a week most fire fighters had second jobs in between their shifts. I knew that Zexion worked in a local book shop as his second job and I wondered if Axel had a second job too.

Often teams arranged days when they could come in to train but mostly they would train in their shifts to improve their fire fighting skills. We could do this in the gym in the station or by setting drills. But fire fighting wasn't all fun, we had normal duties like cleaning and cooking when we were on shifts and each morning of our shifts we would have to go through all the equipment, checking that it was all working properly and won't stop us doing our job if we were called out to an emergency.

So as Axel talked to me about the types of jobs we might be called for, like car accidents, burning buildings and the famous getting a cat out of a tree, I was looking forward to my first shift tomorrow. Who wouldn't after spending so many flipping years training and being tested for it? They don't just accept anyone you know.

"Oi, Shimizu."

Yep, it took a lot of hard work and brains to get into this business and…

"Ouch!" My train of thought was cut off as Zexion not so subtly elbowed me in the ribs. I sent a glare at him.

Axel smirked, "As I was saying… these are the four teams that make up the people in this station."

For the first time I noticed a large piece of paper that was stuck up on the wall in front of me. A multicoloured table was printed on the paper and it showed the four teams and the names of the people who formed them.

Axel pointed to the first line on the table which was typed in black ink, "This is the black team" I didn't mean to snort out loud but unfortunately my brain cells seemed to be lacking today. Axel turned to smirk at me, I was noticing a pattern in his facial expressions, smirk, eyebrow raise, smirk, eyebrow raise … did this guy ever smile without being intimidating? "Yeah, we fire fighters aren't a very imaginative bunch," he commented.

No kidding.

"Anyway, Team Black is made up of Zack, our chief, Cloud and Leon."

I tried, and failed, to put faces to the other two names.

"Those three are the oldest ones here, the first ones who greeted you, Demyx," Zexion filled in for me, obviously seeing me struggling to recognise the names, "they've been around for the longest and so generally are the ones we all look up to more."

Axel grunted, "Their not all that amazing, sure their good but …"

"Aw thanks Axel!" interrupted Zack as he came up behind the red head, slapping him on the back, "I knew you could recognise greatness when you saw it."

"Ever modest Zack, but don't corrupt the newbie with your tales of impossible rescues"

The chief bristled at the comment and opened his mouth to reply when he was stopped by a wearisome voice behind him,

"Leave it Zack; y'know Yamamoto only does it to wind you up."  
We all turned to see two other men standing by the door way of the corridor we were in. A blonde and a brunette, whom I established as being the other two members of 'Team Black', Cloud and Leon, looked over at us. The two looked like they were about as sociable as a tea spoon, with its range of facial expressions to boot.

Zack stood up straight, as if they were the ones in control not him, and turned to Axel saying, "yes, carry on Yamamoto" before walking out the hallway with his team. I raised my eyebrows, wondering what was going on there. Zack, though being the chief, certainly didn't wear the trousers in that three way relationship.

"Ok, well that was 'Team Black'." Axel coughed, "Right then, Team Blue" he pointed to the second line of the table which was, predictably, in blue font.

"Luxord, Xigbar and Saïx" Zexion recited.

"Don't ever gamble with Luxord," warned Axel, shaking his finger in my direction, "don't ask why Xigbar has an eye patch, and never ever ask Saix what colour hair dye he uses." Axel's accompanying cringes to his comments pretty much saying that he had learned those rules from experience.

The next team's colour was yellow which was made up of fire fighters with the names of Vexen, Lexaeus and Larxene (and various other ways Axel delighted in warning me against them). I was curious to see that there was one woman in the fire fighting team, and decided to check out how she compared with the fire men; women fire fighters were still rare, even in this day and age.

Finally, with obvious pride, Axel stated "… and Team Red", he pointed to the last line on the table. "At the moment only made up of the handsome Axel Yamamoto and the sardonic Zexion Inoue" he grinned.

I noticed Zexion beside me slightly raise his eye brows at Axel, as if he had never seen him this … this animated. I frowned; Axel obviously seemed more comfortable acting like this, it looked like one of those things that came naturally to him. So why was he previously so cold, so empty that Zexion was surprised by his actions?

"Here!"

I caught the (red) felt tip pen that Axel threw my way, "write your name down in the space," he vaguely indicated to the gap in the table "we'll have to retype it up later."

I stepped up to the laminated poster and saw that a label had been stuck over the third place on the red line. The label was thin and I could make out the bold type underneath; MARLUXIA KIMURA.  
Shrugging to myself, I wrote down my name and turned to Axel to ask a question that had been bugging me;

"Hey Yamamoto, why did you become a fire fighter?"

It was a perfectly normal question, ne? I was guessing that each of us had a similar reason for getting into this job; the saving lives, the risks, the adventure. I just wanted to know Axels reason.  
So why out of the corner of my eye, did I see Zexion tense up? From where he had been leaning against the wall to my right, his gaze snapped over to me and Axel.  
Had I said something wrong?

Axel had frozen. The (yet more) files he had been shifting through were suspended in his hands and were being unconsciously crushed to a recyclable mush. It was if time had stopped, it felt like an age that a painful silence hung over us rather than the few seconds it did in reality.

Suddenly Axel rose from bending over the desk, his face blank and devoid of any of the emotions I had seen today, and began walking to the end of the corridor.

I frowned; maybe he hadn't heard me? I went to go after my superior, opening my mouth to repeat the question when a hand on my arm stopped me.  
Looking back at my best friend Zexion shook his head sadly, steadily keeping me in my place while the doors to the hallway slide closed behind me.  
Zexion didn't need to lookup to know that the gaze I sent him was questioning.

"I said that Axel was **one **of the best … but the thing is he could be **the** best." Zexion sighed and let go of my arm, leaning back against the wall.  
"He's got all the qualities of a brilliant fire fighter; the skills, the endurance, the ability to make the right decisions quickly in bad circumstances. Though he doesn't talk much and can be overly independent at times, he's a good team leader,"  
I nodded; Zexion was always a good judge of character and so I believed him.  
"But it's like the guy carries the wait of the world on his shoulders. If a rescue goes wrong he blames himself for it, even when it's not him that should be guilty about it," said Zexion, pushing his hands into his jean pockets. "I notice the look in his eyes a lot of the time. He puts everything he has into this job but he always looks like he's far away, like he's … he's …"

"Empty" I supplied. Zexion nodded.

"I once asked Zack about it" he said, pushing off against the wall and beginning to walk down the corridor, "the chief told me that I shouldn't talk about it, especially not to Axel." Zexion stopped in front of the doors and turned back to me, "I left it there and I think you should too. Some things are meant to be kept secret, Demyx, things that hurt people when they are told."

Zexion sighed and pushed the doors open. "Come on we'll go find Axel, he'll be around here somewhere."

I glanced back over at the table on the wall, my team leader's name jumping out at me. The bold type glared down at me and now I registered the colour as blood red.  
I had seen the look of pain and helplessness in Axel's green eyes before he had shaken himself back to reality, as if dislodging a bad memory.  
I regretted asking Axel the question but maybe now, I thought, maybe now I could help. He was my superior, I wanted to help and maybe then we could be friends, I guess.

Besides it couldn't hurt, right?

* * *

Hey :) So just to clear this up, more for myself then anyone wondering;  
I have the up most respect for fire fighters and all the amazing stuff that they do which is partly why I wrote this story, as well as wanting to write an axel/roxas fan fiction. The information such as the equipment and basic schedules that I've used and will use in this story are from facts that I looked up on the internet and from my own observations when visiting a fire station in my town. I've tried to make this story as believable as I possibly can without ruining the fiction-ness of it, so put up with or even enjoy the bits of facts I put in, ye? I'll try to keep them short but please tell me if I start to go all lecture-y on you!  
I was thinking of including Reno and Rude and Sephiroth as fire fighters but too many would just get way too confusing so I stuck with just those which appeared in Kingdom Hearts, bar Zack, just because Zack's cool and I can so see him as a fire fighter chief.

I would be really happy (and a lot more motivated) if people could review! Especially since this is my first go at a fanfic. Im sure every writer on here knows what I mean, so yknow … review! Please :)

Ja mata ne


	3. Chapter 3 Axel

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or locations featured in this story, nor do I make any money out of them, if I did then I … probably wouldn't have the need to write these chapters, so err … go me right?  
Warning: future slash, some language  
A/N: YAY THE EXAMS ARE FINISHED! ON WITH FREE TIME AND PARTIES! Although I haven't had a lot of either at the moment, seriously. Well maybe there have been some parties. So I'm very sorry for the delay. I'll try and update faster next time because I hate it when writers take ages to update and more than that I hate the guilty feeling I get every time I come on my computer and haven't written any more! Anyway,** thank you lots to ****Kaida Shade and AkuRoku55 for their reviews.** The reviews really helped with motivation and proved to me that some people actually like my story! This chapter is dedicated to both them for their reviews and to Pink Ribbon Skye who bullies me into writing more and is my unofficial Beta (aka the one who gets to read the next chapter before anyone else!) On with the story!  
Started: 23/05/08 Finished: 13/07/08

* * *

Saving a Life  
Chapter 3

_Flickering fire_

_Unbearable heat_

_Fear_

_So much fear. It haunted the hallways, lurked in the doors and, even as it's hiding places crumbled away, fear still coated every step I took. I could feel it now, gripping my chest like a vice, squeezing and crashing down on me, more hurtful than the scalding burns or the pricking splinters. And though I had tried not to show it, we both knew._

"_I told you I'd be back" _

_Humour, the best cover up for fear, that's what I figured anyway._

"_I didn't doubt it," came his raspy voice_

_Two smiles, two hearts, hopeful._

_There was the ominous crack of wood. The noise ripped right through me. Never before and never again had a sound been so terrifying._

_Horror filled eyes._

_A scream_

"_ROXAS!"_

"_AXEL!"_

_Two names, two lives, shattered._

_

* * *

_

Red.

Rosy red, painted red, the scarlet of my hair red, blood red … fire red.

I suddenly bolted upright. The colour was everywhere, surrounding me, suffocating me. Screams and smells of burning overloaded my senses and the stifling heat was pressing down on my shoulders.

It was happening again.

Bringing my knees up to my chest, I tried to control my rapid breathing, slowly in and out, deep, calming breaths. The heat and sounds started to die away but pictures began to flash though my brain. The same pictures, like a broken record forcing, unbidden, their way into my mind. A burning building, an unconscious boy and those horribly familiar, terror filled blue eyes.

I block out the thoughts, like I always do, fight them into submission and push them away. I guess I could be all poetic like n'shit and say that I send them away like a folded message in a glass bottle, across my metaphorical sea and out over the horizon. But that's making it sound cheesy. I know it's not healthy to suppress emotions, I've been told that before, but it works for me and it needs to, because only then does the assault on my mind begin to disappear. Only then I can get back to normal or whatever closest to normal there is, for me.

Slowly the dark crimson seemed to fade away like a mist and the only sound left was my own deep breathing against my knees.

I guess I want to have to go though it, because going thought it makes me remember. Even if I have to run though the scene again so many times in my head, have it hurt somewhere under my ribs as much as it does, I don't want to forget, ever. Forgetting is not an option. Forgetting means I lose everything, it means I stop hoping, stop believing, forgetting means I loose half of myself.  
He's counting on me, I'm counting on me.  
I won't forget.

I can't forget.

* * *

It was Team Yellow, in the form of Larxene that handed the shift over to me. I was pretty close to Larxene, well if you could call the competitive relationship we had a friendship. We had both entered the fire station at around the same time and were both shown the ropes by an older recruit. When we had been split into our respective groups there had grown an unspoken competition that had continued to last throughout the years we had both worked here.

She grinned at me as I asked her if anything had happened in their shift. It was good to know just in case we got any call backs concerning what had happened or something. The clever one, me.

"Nothing that I couldn't handle," replied the blonde as she winked.

It was a long standing bet between the other fire fighters as to when Larxene would be able to get me to go out with her. She had a certain reputation for the way she got through men. Not that I could blame her for wanting to get with me, but unlike the rest of the guys in the station Larxene knew my, err … preferences. Bloody woman's intuition. Didn't mean she didn't milk it for all it was worth.

"Aw Axel, don't worry" cooed Larxene with fake sympathy, mistaking my silence, "I'll stay for your shift if you want. We all know your team needs the help, what with an inexperienced fighter and all, not to mention the two newbie's."

I was about to reply with something equally witty and scathing (I swear) when a blue bundle charged though the front double doors facing us and straight into my chest. Bouncing off me and flopping onto the floor ungracefully.

"Whoa man you have a hard chest," exclaimed Demyx from the floor, rubbing his red forehead. The blonde looked up, recognised me and stood quickly, holding himself up so straight that I thought he might actually start saluting.

"ImsooooosorryImlateAxel!" he spewed, then laughed nervously. I could practically _hear_ Larxene smirking next to me, damn it. Frowning I looked at the clock on the wall, it was about ten past eight, I must have been talking to the woman fire fighter longer than I thought. It didn't matter too much anyway as long as at least two people were in the station all the time. It's not like Demyx was that late anyway. I raised my eye brows questioningly at Zexion, who had just leisurely made his way through the doors,

"He couldn't decide what to wear" he muttered as he walked over to us and stood next to Demyx who was able to simultaneously pout at and evil eye his best friend.

I smirked at their antics, "Well just make sure your on time next shift, right Demyx?"

"Sure!" the blonde beamed.

Larxene sniggered next to me, "Right Axel, guess I'm off so it's over to your capable team then!" she said and glanced sceptically at my two team mates.

Larxene turned at the doors and made a huge show of looking me and my team up and down, shaking her head in mock exasperation. Then she grinned. "Don't screw up too much!" I flipped her off as she smirked her way off site.

***

"I spy with my little eye something that …"

"Shut up Demyx"

"But Zexion" whined the blonde, "pleeeeease."

"No"

"PLE..."

"No."

I watched the amusing exchange over the rim of my coffee mug. Demyx hung upside down off his seat and pouted at no one in particular. The TV buzzed in the background.

"I'm bored" complained the blonde.

I was about to nod my head when I realised that _as the more responsible fire fighter I was to show patience and control as an example to the new recruit_, snobby voice included. More responsible my arse, he was only a few years (three tops) younger then me, though looking at him now as he pulled irritably at the tips of his hair, I swear its more like light years between us in maturity levels. Well that's what I told myself anyway.

I couldn't really blame him though. It was thirteen hours into the shift we had already checked through the equipment, made lunch, dinner, ran out of polite conversation and had had only three calls into the station so far. So not much had happened and we, the young early-twenty-something adults that we are, were bored. Understandably.

That's when Zexion produced a pack of cards from his jeans pockets.  
That's when Demyx decided we should play strip poker.  
That's when I resolved that I loved my new team.  
Not that I'd tell them that.

* * *

Fully clothed, supporting three new socks and a hoodie (I had always been good at poker) and eleven hours later I was declining Demyx's offer for a lift back to my apartment. I had somewhere else to go.

***

The thing that got to me about hospitals was the smell. The bleached, sanitized odour that hung in the corridors and clung to the workers clothes. Smells of the chemicals that were made to rid the place of infection, impurities, and illness. Rid it of the 'wrong'. I found it ironic that people only went to hospitals if there was something 'wrong' with them.

Signing in at the desk, I made decent conversation with the secretaries who couldn't help it if I overheard that yes Mr Yoshida had been and gone already and the room was free of family or guests. I smiled gratefully at them and continued on to the lifts.

Making my way through the hallways I greeted the doctors and nurses, wondering if it was only the patients who should know them on a first name basis.

I stopped halfway down the second corridor, my palms feeling sweaty and, as always, half of me felt like turning my back on the door and running away. Away from the memories and the pain. Hell yeah, a part of me wanted to leave.

_Move on Axel, you need to move on. Forget._

"_No."_

Sometimes I feared an empty room. Folded sheets, detoxed tables, cleared drawers, a cardboard box placed on ironed DAZ-white sheets.

A single box for a life.

But when I slowly opened the door the sheets are creased and lumpy. I hear the low hum of machines - still working, thankfully. I smell the aroma of flowers and see the cards marked 'With Sympathy' on top of the cluttered drawers. And I grin at how, even now, he gets more attention from girls then me.

I closed the door quietly, even though it wouldn't have made much of a difference to the person in the room if I blew down the door with a bazooka. Though I don't think the nurses would appreciate it. I made my way across the white room; hands wedged deep into my pockets and sat down in the chair.

At first, after it had happened and I found the courage to visit, I had been numb. Afraid to break the morbid silence of the room, worried that my imperfect, unpractised words would infect the stainless space. Like bacteria or a virus.

I think knew the words I should have said. They were the words that had already been spoken by those who lacked them for themselves. Words of hope, cheerfulness and faith. Faith that it would all get better, if only I believed hard enough.  
Words that were repeated over and over again by different, well-meaning people until they became as pale as the skin stretched across unmoving bones. As thin as the cotton sheets that outlined his small form. Words that barely covered up the pain and silent pleas of desperation and disappearing hope.

So I gave him my words. I filled the room with sound. It was all I could give.

I told the truth, just as it should be.  
I talked of reality, and after a year of silence and reservation I finally knew what I could say.  
The only thing that he didn't have, the thing he would miss.  
The thing that I figured he would come back to me, to us, for.

"Hey Roxas," I grinned, and folded my legs up to rest against the side of the bed. "Told you I'd be back"

I talked about life.

* * *

Reviews would be as appreciated as ever. :)

Sorry if there are any mistakes, my betas off on holiday! I've done the best I could with the time I've had, seeing as I'm off on holiday too tomorrow and wanted to post this chapter before then so it wasn't hanging around in the back of my mind for two weeks. Hope you liked it. After many, _many_ edits Im quite happy with the chapter, as happy as my perfectionist arse can be at the moment anyway.

It's too early, Im finishing this at 4am so to bed with me I think :) sorry my grammar doesn't work this time of morning! Nor does my authors-notes writing skills (or social skills).

See you next chapter!

* * *


	4. Chapter 4 Demyx

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or locations featured in this story, nor do I make any money out of them, if I did then I … would steal Roxas's hair for my own! Because I love his hair, though Im not sure if blonde would suit me. Or I'd have Riku's, now that's cool hair. But I'd look real old with silver hair, maybe only Riku can pull it off. Like Axel and his amazing hair, maybe he's the only one able to work that colour right too. The point is I don't own them … or their hair.  
Warning: future slash, implied slash, some language – bad demyx.  
A/N: Thank you so so much to **TheFallenOnes, Silver-Excalibur, Shadow, Xshoutatmex **and** Pink Ribbon Skye **for your made me very happy! It was lovely to read them when I was having post-holiday blues. So thank you very much! As ever this chapter is dedicated to them for that.  
Well done to everyone who got their results these past few weeks, both GCSE's and A-levels. I hope you were happy with you got!  
Reason for the lateness? I started Sixth Form. But hey! This chapter is a little longer than normal to make up for it!  
Demyx POV, people.  
Started: 14/08/08 Finished: 19/09/08

* * *

Saving a Life  
Chapter 4

Red lights flickered across my vision like strange tiny flies that I wanted to forcefully squish against the wall. There was smoke all around me and I knew the air was hot and dry but I couldn't feel it through my mask. The SCBA (1) stopped some of the heat as well as giving me air; I was pretty glad it was working.

Axel and Zexion were just behind me, watching my every move. They occasionally gave out small pieces of advice to me as we made our way through the burning house. You couldn't tell who was who with all that gear and equipment covering their faces, but I guessed the slightly taller one was Axel.

Possible-Axel nodded at me, "Right, now we need to get the victim out to the paramedics," came the redheads voice through the communications device.  
I lifted the heavy body up from the floor and started towards the doors at the end of the room. I clutched at the fabric with my gloves as I dove round the corners to get out of the blazing building quickly. Thankfully I had remembered to mark the doors I had taken to get into the building so I retraced my steps to get outside.

About twenty feet away from the charred structure, I dropped the body to the floor and turned to my team mates. Taking off my helmet so I would cool down quicker I tossed it around in my hands and looked inquiringly at them.

"I did well right?" I grinned. "Come on you can admit it! I was born to be a fire fighter!"

I couldn't get out of the way before Axel whacked me around the back of the head, a habit that was becoming unfairly regular in Team Red.

"Ow! Shit Axel!" I whined at my group leader as Zexion rolled his eyes at me from behind him. Both men had taken their helmets off.

"Well first of all Demyx you don't just _dump_ your victim on the floor! You have to get them to safety first!" chided Axel putting his hands on his hips.

I folded an arm behind my head and pointed out the distance between where we were standing and the house, "Yep, I did, look! Twenty feet is the standard distance taught" (2)

"Yeah Demyx it's the _minimum_ distance" added Zexion. I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Besides, you should deliver the victim to the paramedics, in case they need treating."

I raised an eyebrow at Axel (obviously his facial expressions had started to rub off on me) and looked down at the body on the floor. A freakish crooked smile looked back at me; some of the red fabric was coming off at the sides. The material on the body was burnt at the corners from frequent use in training drills, the clothes would never be their natural colour again.  
And I knew that in the middle of the life size doll's stomach was a lead weight so it imitated the heaviness of a human person.

"I don't know if this victim needs treating Axel," I poked at it with a foot, "Maybe a few stitches though. The thing creeps me out!"

Axel and Zexion laughed, the redhead ruffling my hair; yet again another habit he had picked up from god knows where.

"But if it was a real person that is what you should be doing Dem" he said pointing at me then the scary doll on the floor. I bent down to pick up the clothed body and chucked it over my shoulder.

"Of course I would, y'know that Axel, but it's not a real person!"

Zexion smiled over at me from where he was standing,

"Yeah we know."

We all watched the simulation building darken down as the controlled fire retracted into the structure and the smoke like substance floated away into the afternoon air.

"You didn't do too bad back there Demyx" said Axel as we signed out and made our way back to my car.

"Yeah" agreed Zexion "at least you remembered to make ventilation so some smoke could get out."

Axel nodded "And mark the right door"

"And take a torch in"

"And take the _victim_ out!"

"Shut up guys!" I complained, but couldn't help laughing along with them.

"Well you're certainly better than you were when we first brought you here" commented Axel and we all sniggered at the memory.

"Well I would hope that I'd get better with 3 weeks of extra training" I clicked the car key and got into the drivers seat,

"Which is obviously due to my brilliant powers of teaching!" exclaimed Axel, striking a Superman pose,

"Uh huh, and if you don't get in now you can fly your way home Mr Pyromaniac,"

"I resent that"

"Just get in the car Axel!"

* * *

We went out that evening in celebration that it had been a month since I had joined the team, give or take a few days. 'For better or worse … Im not sure' Axel had said, before I kicked him in the shins. That and to celebrate that I had (mostly) completed a training exercise to Axels standards on my own.

Seeing as we didn't have any shifts for two days so drinking was alright, and Axel had insisted, we found ourselves sitting in a corner booth at 'Twilight', our local pub/nightclub.

Drum and bass thundered around the room, neon lights and lasers flicking across the ceiling, the atmosphere was hot and sticky with the cigarette smoke that hung in the air. I was eerily reminded of what it had felt like earlier in the fire simulation house.

"I'll go and get the rounds" shouted Axel over the noise, "What d'you want?"

Gathering our orders he battled his way through the crowd to get the drinks at the swarming bar.

As I watched him go, I thought about how he'd changed in the last few weeks. We'd all changed I guess. I couldn't even claim that it was my doing but I was damn glad for whatever it was. He was more calm, more relaxed. I couldn't boast that I really knew Axel anyway so I didn't know who he really _was_, but the difference between now and when I had first met him, a month ago, was noticeable. He seemed more care free now, like he was happier to be funny, to be snide and witty; the emotions and comebacks that made up his personality. Axel seemed happy to be himself.

But a month? No it felt like years since I had joined the team. And it also felt like only a few hours had gone by. It had gone unbearably slow yet rapidly quick. Days had flown by, others had crawled. And while this month had passed we had grown as a team. Friendship wise and job wise. We all worked well together, we were like fire fighter versions of Starsky and Hutch, Frodo and Sam, Marlin and Dory, Obi-one-Kenobi and Anakin (before they battled it out to the death), ignoring the fact that there are three of us.

Zexion was more talkative; you could carry I decent conversation with him now, which, y'know, helped. And me? I was more thoughtful, I guess. Though it didn't mean I wasn't as clumsy as usual and my team mates always reminded me of that. But Axel had changed the most.

"He's different isn't he?"

I looked round at Zexion startled. "It's not hard to see who you're thinking about" he chuckled "considering you've been watching Axel non stop for more than five minutes".

I thought a saw a flash of something akin to jealously cross Zexion's eyes, though his smile remained perfectly intact, but before I had time to question him it was gone again. I must have just imagined it; the flashing lights do funny things to your brain.

I nodded "Yeah, he is different."

"Good different though" he said smiling, "he's happier like this. Like last Tuesday? Remember?"

I smiled and nodded again remembering the outing he was on about. We had decided to go to Paintballing because … well we're still kids really, though the teenagers, who gave us evils as we shot them, certainly didn't think that. Shooting people with fake guns? In the woods? With camouflage, helmets and body armour? Well … where do we sign up!

I had gone into the arena ready to beat Axel and Zexion in revenge for all the times they had (I admit; friendly) taken the piss. I would show them who was top around here.

I came last. The reason? Well really I'm about as stealthy as a giant, but hey who cares? To be a fire fighter I don't need stealth, well not really …

Axel came second because _man_ is he trigger happy, I called it obscene luck that he actually _hit_ some. He called it style. Maybe he rigged the equipment; I wouldn't put it passed him.

And Zexion? He won. That guy is a damn ninja if I ever saw one. Not that I_ have_. Sneaky and a hell of a lot stealthier than any other person I've seen in Paintballing.

He called himself the 'Cloaked Schemer', pffft how pathetic (Zexion had replied that he was surprised I had known long words like 'Melodious Nocturne'). He's the bloody _queen_ of the shadows if you ask me, which no one does. And why would I know this? Well once getting out and collecting our little sheets (y'know the ones that show who you were hit by and stuff?) I found that I had been hit by one 'Cloaked Schemer' thirty seven times! I hadn't even seen him once!

Paranoid? Hell yeah!

Anyway the reason that Zexion had brought up that (demoralizing) day was because on the drive back Axel had grinned all the way. When we questioned him about it (because it was kind of scary really) he just smiled this real smile that I hadn't ever seen on his face before and said 'thanks guys.'

Alright it's not that big of a deal, but the Axel that I met on my first day would never have done that, never show his emotions like that, not really. I figured it was a definite improvement anyway and obviously so had Zexion.

***

The night went by pretty quickly, before I even noticed it we were on our fifth rounds and the nightclub had, if it was possible, got even busier.

A few hours in I had managed to drag Zexion out onto the floor to dance, though he just stood their swaying slightly and glaring at me while I raved my way through a few songs. The three of us continued to drink and chat among ourselves, talking about anything that came into our alcohol subdued brains. So really in fact we talked about crap that didn't really matter, not that we were that bothered. As far as our conditions went; Axel was grinning in a slightly manic way, his eyes dancing around the room, I was swaying a little in my seat and Zexion? Well he didn't really look drunk but the spaced out look in his eyes and the sloppy half smile on his face showed me there was no way that he was totally sober.

"I need a piss!" shouted Axel over the noise, suddenly standing up right and then put his hand to his head due to the abrupt movement. He grinned and then made his was over to the toilets.

I raised an eye brow as a pretty girl halfway between us and the toilets tried to make a move on him but he brushed her away without even a thought. I frowned but my train of thought was interrupted when a noise came from my side,

"Hey Demyx?" I turned my head and nearly jumped out of my skin when I found Zexion barely inches away from me. He looked closely at my face, going slightly cross eyed because we were so close. I would have laughed if I wasn't (involuntarily) holding my breath, "are your eyes blue or green?" he slurred, "'Cos I can't tell."

He inched nearer, close enough that I could feel his breath on my check and the heat his body radiated. I leaned back a bit. I don't know why but Zexion being that close was making me feel weird, like something was trying to get up and out of my stomach. Probably the alcohol, I mused.

"Blue." I pushed him backwards and took a hold of my glass so I had something to do with my hands; they were shaking a little. Obviously another side affect of the drinking.

A silence that wasn't exactly hostile but it wasn't comfortable either reigned for few minutes. Not that I mean that literally, noise still went on around us, but the space between us felt … prickly. I didn't like the way Zexion was looking at me, it made me feel guilty and I didn't know what I should be feeling guilty for. To break the silence and forget the weird feelings I was having, I decided to ask a question that had been playing on my mind recently, well since my first day when I spotted it.

Besides, drunk, Zexion was more likely to tell me what I wanted.

"What happened to Marluxia?"

His grey eyes widened slightly, whether from the sudden change in subject or the actual question I didn't know. He hadn't answered so I asked again, "Marluxia Kimura? He was on your team wasn't he?"

"Demyx, I don't think that…"

I interrupted him, "It was something to do with Axel wasn't it?"

Zexion pouted and crossed his arms; this time I couldn't hold back a snigger, who knew a drunken Zexion could be such a girl?

He mumbled something and I asked him to repeat it, the noise of the club catching his quiet words and throwing them away. Anger flashed through his grey eyes,

"It's always about _him_ isn't it Demyx? Everything is about Axel with you!" His tone was harsh and a little raw from the drink.

I was shocked at the outburst, "Are you …" No, he couldn't be… "_Jealous_?"

"No" barked Zexion defensively. I sighed, stupid Demyx, what would Zexion have to be jealous about?

"Its just you're always talking about him and asking things about him, it's… it's annoying," he said.

I rolled my eyes, "He's my _team leader _Zexion; I want to learn about him. You're my best friend! I already know everything about you!"

Zexion muttered something that I couldn't hear over the music. I had a feeling he didn't want me to.

"Please?"

"Fine," He sighed, "I'll tell you."

When Zexion started telling the story (sobered up a little with a few glasses of water) his face was all hard angles and his expression peeved. However, as he went on his look became softer and I knew that this story had obviously affected him too. Zexion began.

"Marluxia Kimura was to Axel like what he is to you and was to me, if that makes sense. Marluxia was the fire fighter in the station that took Axel on as a new recruit and trained him. He took him under his wing and from what I know about it Axel respected him a lot. When I came along I became Axels 'charge' and got put into Team Red along with both of them. Though by that time Axel and Marluxia were on equal status, Axel still let Marluxia make most of the decisions, trusting his judgment and skills. For what it was worth Marluxia was a good leader, a good fire fighter, but there was always something off with him."

Zexion frowned and shook his head before carrying on.

"We were on one of our 24hour shifts and were called to a rescue; there was a small block of flats on fire about thirty minutes away. I didn't know it at the time but Marluxia was a druggie, and on that rescue he was high on cocaine.

On a shift a fire fighter can never be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, for obvious reasons, even outside of the station a fire fighter is not allowed to have contact with drugs, so Marluxia was breaking one of the top most rules in the book.

There's still the question around the station whether Axel knew about his team members addiction, it wasn't certain so no action was taken against Axel but some of the crew are still suspicious. Personally I'm not really sure but that night in the rescue Axel had to cover up a lot of Marluxia's mistakes; so he had to know that something was up. But I don't know, maybe Axel was aware about it, its possible seeing all the time they spent together before I came. Axel really valued Marluxia, like an older brother, maybe he thought that his team mate would stop soon. He could have even thought that the addition of another fire fighter, and a new one at that, would make Marluxia see sense and be more responsible."

I watched Zexion wipe his hands across his face in exasperation, he was looking at me but his eyes appeared far way. He continued on.

"It hadn't worked, Marluxia was high that night and in doing so put the lives of both his team members and the victims we were rescuing in danger. Axel had to do a lot of work that night, looking out for both a new recruit and an intoxicated team mate, as well as doing his job to get the victims out. Throughout the rescue Marluxia still thought he was in control of the situation and continued to stop me and Axel from doing our job.

Due to Marluxia being under the influence, two lives were lost that night, two victims that we couldn't get to. Victims that, had Marluxia been the responsible, first-class fire fighter he was before his addiction, would have been saved. After we had learnt about the two victims who hadn't made it, Marluxia, in his inebriated state, had blamed Axel for the unsuccessful rescue.

It hit Axel hard. The man that he had revered and respected had totally let him down. Axel has trusted Marluxia and the other man had completely thrown it in his face. Maybe it was a long time coming, maybe it was just due to that night, but I don't think that Axel has truly trusted anyone in the station again after that."

Zexion finished and learned back into the upholstery. We were silent for a bit as I tried to process what he had told me. Marluxia, Axel, drugs, rescue, death, blame, broken trust; no wonder Zexion hadn't wanted to get into it.

"What happened to Marluxia?" I asked.

"He was arrested for being under the influence of an illegal drug, putting lives at risk and being the possible cause of two deaths. He was banned from any fire fighting duties and went to prison. Needless to say I haven't seen him since."

I nodded in understanding, "Maybe," I said, thinking out loud, "Maybe that's why he's like he is now or how he was. Y'know not trusting and all?"  
Zexion frowned at the return to the Axel-shaped topic but 'hn'-ed in response.  
"Just saying that maybe that's why he's like that," I frowned thoughtfully, _although it can't be all._

"Who's like what Dem?"

I jumped and looked up to see Axel standing over me, now laughing at the fact he had caught me off guard.

"How you're such a light weight Axel" drawled Zexion, covering up for me.

"Hey! Am not!"

Zexion raised an eyebrow slowly "You just spent thirty minutes going to the toilet."

"Yeah, did you get lost or something Axel?" I mocked.

The red head glared "No I didn't!" He sat down opposite us and launching into a one sentence speech, "I got out the toilet and this girl was there and she kept trying to get be to buy her a drink and I was like 'no', but she wouldn't shut up and she was following me and so I decided it be better to lose her then have her bug both your guys too, so I was weaving in and out of all these people dancing and then I got stuck between these two …"

I think both me and Zexion zoned out after that.

* * *

(1) SCBA = Self Contained Breathing Apparatus  
(2) I have no idea what the standard distance taught would be, 20 feet sounded pretty reasonable, to me anyway.

Sorry for the delay but I have I've decided that the chapters will come when they come. I hated writing this chapter, so I think it turned out shitty. I liked writing the end bit though. It annoyed me a lot so I gave it evils for weeks because it was stupid and was not growing in size. I fear for my sanity sometimes.  
Anyway if you liked it then please review! I'll be very much happy! If you didn't like it then tell me why, Im happy to get suggestions to make my story better.  
Note: Zexion is allowed to be OOC in this chapter, he was drunk, but I tried to make him as Zexion like as I could while he was drunk!

S'laters alligators.


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